Comprehensive Guide to Intuitive Tarot: History, Symbology, and Practice
Introductions and Pedagogical Philosophy
Instructor Profile: Cheryl
Position: Owner and General Manager of Silver Pyramid.
Experience: Reading Tarot for over 30 years; teaching for over 15 years.
Credentials: Certified by the World Metaphysical Association; Master's degree in Psychology.
Focus: Spiritual and intuitive counseling; moving beyond "woo woo" or "fluffy bunny" practices to a direct, intuitive approach.
Class Objectives
Teaching students how to teach themselves and embark on their own journey.
Developing intuition rather than just memorizing definitions.
Identifying common links between Tarot, astrology, and crystals.
Learning Methodology
Kinesthetic Learning: Cheryl emphasizes the importance of taking notes. Writing involves physically processing thoughts, reading them on paper, and mentally retaining information more deeply than just listening.
Study Journal: Students are encouraged to create a journal using a spiral notebook (minimum 100 pages, one page per card) to compile personal thoughts, impressions, and meanings from multiple sources.
Collective Interests and Backgrounds
Elba Stevenson: Returning to Tarot after a long hiatus.
Shira Stevenson: Introduced to cards 10 years ago; lost her deck during a move and is seeking one that resonates.
Livia Stevenson: Interests move between crystals, astrology, and Tarot; identifies as a beginner.
Katie: A relative of the Stevensons; prefers kinetic learning over books; interested in giving the "gift" of Tarot to others.
Misty: Started a spiritual journey in 2023; has a channel named "Missy's Spiritual Tarot"; comfortable with Oracle but seeking Tarot confidence.
Charisma: Daughter-in-law of Misty; began her journey in 2024. Briefly returned to traditional religion due to outside influence but returned to spirituality after six months in a "dark hole."
Lisa: Sister of Laurie; experienced with Oracle; interested in the gift of Tarot for others.
Laurie: On a spiritual journey for 35 years; intensification occurred during COVID-19. This is her second time taking this specific class.
Aiden: Joins later in the session.
Historical Origins of Tarot
Theories of Origin: Roots are traced back to Ancient Eastern Asia, Ancient India, Ancient Egypt, and the French/Italian regions (the Franks). Some theories tie it to Jewish traditions from the Torah and Talmud.
The Book of Thoth: Ancient Egyptians believed these writings allowed readers to know the language of animals and cast spells. Clerics likely used tablets or cards with these secrets for use in temples.
Tarocci (Mid-15th Century): Originally called "Cards of Triumph." It was a trick-taking card game similar to bridge played among wealthy aristocrats in Florence, Italy.
The Charles VI Deck (1392): Created for King Charles of France by an artist in Florence. It was gold-plated and hand-painted; approximately 17 cards survive.
Tarot of Marseille (Late 1600s - 1700s): A standard Italian-suited pattern popular in France. The Minor Arcana were mostly "pip cards" (numeric without detailed illustrations).
Jean Baptiste Aliette (Etteilla) (1790): Published a book and deck using an anagram of his name. He is credited with creating the terms "Major Arcana" and "Minor Arcana." He combined symbols of Egypt and astrology specifically for divination.
The Rider Waite Deck (1908-1910): Created by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith. Waite was a Freemason and a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (1891). This was the first mass-produced deck and is the basis for most modern Tarot structures.
Structural Differences: Tarot vs. Oracle
Tarot Structure: Consistent across decks. Contains 78 cards total: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana (including 4 suits and court cards).
Oracle Structure: No standard structure. Decks can range from 22 to 196 cards. Oracle cards are "what you see is what you get"—focused on affirmations, meditations, and inspiration rather than specific systems.
Resonance: Cheryl advocates choosing a deck based on artwork and feeling. Modern decks are often "upgraded" versions of Rider Waite images.
Packaging Tips: Large boxes usually contain a full-sized book; small boxes contain a deck and a basic instructional pamphlet.
Creating an Intuitive Space and Using Crystals
Environment: Use a reading cloth (fabric), candles, and incense to minimize distraction and build a "problem mindset" for concentration.
Clear Quartz: The "Master Crystal." It is programmable and holds information extremely well.
Lemurian Quartz: Rough quartz with ridges or "barcodes" on the sides. Believed to hold universal information and aid in accessing the Akashic records.
Amethyst: Connects the Third Eye and Crown chakras; provides psychic protection.
Phantom Quartz: Features interior growth layers; used for connecting with spirit guides and guardian angels.
Spirit Quartz: A central crystal with "druzy" secondary growth. Used to connect with spirit guides as receptors.
Celestite: Opens communication between the Throat and Third Eye.
Lapis Lazuli: Favored for Third Eye balancing and connection.
Blue Calcite: Calms the mind to help receive intuitive information.
Black Obsidian: Called the "Febreze of crystals"; grounds the reader and dispels negative energy.
Black Tourmaline: Transmutes negative energy into positive energy; aids in self-protection.
The Major Arcana: The Fool’s Journey
Concept: The 22 cards of the Major Arcana (numbered 0 to 21) represent archetypes of people and life experiences. When they appear, they indicate major life forces or checkpoints.
0: The Fool
Number zero represents an empty cup or nothingness.
Symbols: Knapsack (traveling light), white rose (purity), dog (companion/warning about the cliff edge), butterflies (new beginnings).
1: The Magician
The first knowledgeable start; someone with all tools available.
Symbols: Four suits (cups, wands, pentacles, swords) on the table, infinity symbol (), pointing up and down (connection between heaven and earth), red/white candles (balance).
2: The High Priestess: Accesses the subconscious; intuition available to all.
3: The Empress: Mother Earth/Nurturer; represents creation, abundance, and fertility (often depicted as pregnant).
4: The Emperor: Father figure; structure, rules, regulations, and authority.
5: The Hierophant: Social rules, morals, ethics, religion, and principles.
6: The Lovers: Relationships outside the family; the necessity of making choices.
7: The Chariot: Discipline, willpower, and controlling one's direction through progress.
8: Strength: Strength of character over brute force; patience and compassion.
9: The Hermit: Solitude and looking inward for truth/direction before returning to share knowledge.
10: Wheel of Fortune: Everything having its place in the cycles of the world.
11: Justice: Cause and effect; responsibility for actions and consequences.
12: The Hanged Man: Insurmountable challenges that require a change in perspective or letting go of the struggle.
13: Death
Not usually physical death; signifies transformation and rebirth.
Symbols: White rose, butterflies, graveyard (rising from the dead), Archangel Raziel (angel of transformation).
Metaphor: "Spit out the gum." Do not keep things that no longer have flavor or serve a purpose.
14: Temperance: Balance after experiencing extremes.
15: The Devil: Overindulgence and bondage to the material world.
16: The Tower: Monumental crisis that shatters false existence to allow light to shine through.
17: The Star: Peace, tranquility, hope, and faith after a storm.
18: The Moon: Shadows, illusions, and discovery of hidden truths or dangers.
19: The Sun: Clarity and brightness; dispelling confusion and fear with childlike joy.
20: Judgment: Rebirth and shedding the false ego; absolution and forgiveness.
21: The World: Fulfillment and completion of the journey; reaching a new level of happiness.
Calculating Your Birth Number
Method: Calculate using the full two-digit month, two-digit date, and four-digit year. Sum the digits until they reduce to a single number.
Example (Cheryl: April 21, 1964):
(The Hermit).
Student Numbers:
Katie: 3 (The Empress).
Olivia: 4 (The Emperor).
Misty: 8 (Strength).
Charisma: 5 (The Hierophant).
Lisa: 4 (The Emperor).
Laurie: 7 (The Chariot).
The Minor Arcana Structure
Pip Cards: The numeric cards in the four suits.
Four Suits and Elemental Correspondences:
Coins/Pentacles: Earth; Physical/Material world, money, health, slow movement, Autumn, North. (Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo).
Swords/Knives: Air; Intellect, thoughts, challenges, fast movement, Spring, East. (Gemini, Aquarius, Libra).
Wands/Rods: Fire; Career, action, creativity, passion, immediate movement, Summer, South. (Leo, Sagittarius, Aries).
Cups/Chalices: Water; Emotions, relationships, intuition, medium movement, Winter, West. (Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio).
Numeric Vibrations (1-10):
1 (Ace): Singularity/Creation/Onset.
2: Duality/Balance/Choice.
3: Expansion/Growth/Change.
4: Evaluation/Achievement/Checkpoint.
5: Conflict/Disruption/Change.
6: Creativity/Positive movement.
7: Challenges/Unforeseen complications.
8: Maturity/Reaping what is sown.
9: Completion/Fullness/Near the end.
10: Fulfillment/Satisfaction/Ending.
Court Cards:
Page: Youngest, explorative, playful, messenger, immature energy.
Knight: Young adult (late teens to early 30s), headstrong, defender, ready to fight.
Queen: Mature intuitive energy, nurturing, understands the elements emotionally.
King: Full mature logical energy; masters of the element through responsibility.
Reading Spreads and Practices
Planning: Cheryl emphasizes deciding the layout and the meaning of every position before shuffling.
Common Spreads:
Yes/No (2 Card): Decide beforehand which card is which. Typically, The Fool = No, The World = Yes.
Past, Present, Future (3 Card): Quick assessment of situations.
Decision Spread (6 Card): Explores two options, factors to consider for each, and likely outcomes.
Outlook Spread: Assigns cards to specific categories (Romance, Finances, Health, Work, Spirit).
Celtic Cross (10 Card): Deep dive into a situation involving: 1. You, 2. Crossing/Conflict, 3. Guidance, 4. Basis/Past experience, 5. Actual past event, 6. Before you (upcoming), 7. State of mind, 8. Influences from others, 9. Hopes and Fears, 10. Likely outcome.
Interpretation Themes:
Check for majorities of suits or repeating numbers.
Identify the direction figures are facing (Facing each other = working together; Facing left = looking at the past).
Action cards (moving quickly, like 8 of Wands) vs. delay cards.
Reversals: Indicate secondary or inverted meanings. Use them at your discretion, but ensure you understand the negative side of the card (e.g., The Sun reversed = overexposure or everything coming to light negatively).
Maintenance and Common Inquiries
Cleansing (The Three S's):
Sage/Palo Santo: Burning to clear energy. (Cheryl makes a Sage mist with cedar, juniper, and lemongrass).
Salt: Placing the deck near/on sea salt for 2 to 8 hours to extract negativity.
Sound: Using singing bowls, bells, or Tingshas (high-tone cymbals) to remove static.
Myths Debunked:
Gifted Only: You can buy your own deck. This myth was historically a form of job security for fortune tellers.
Self-Reading: You can read for yourself, provided you remain objective and don't just look for the answer you want.
Silk Wrapping: Decorative but not essential unless it builds personal connection.
Ethics: Cheryl advises against reading while drinking to maintain intuitive clarity and respect for the cards as a "cell phone to higher self."
Questions & Discussion
Q: Can you help people unlock psychic abilities?
A: Yes, Cheryl teaches a separate class called "Meeting Your Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels." She suggests people keep a note app or notebook to record "random thoughts" rather than treating their minds like an "Etch A Sketch."
Q: Why do you pronounce it "Tarot" (Tar-oh) instead of "Tar-ot"?
A: It stems from the Italian origin Tarocci. "Tar-oh" or "Tae-roh" are generally preferred for historical accuracy.
Q: Do decks stop working if they aren't cleansed?
A: Decks don't stop working; usually, the reader is just unhappy with what the cards are saying or is lacking objectivity.